Inside the New York Yankees clubhouse with MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch.

Kicking off a busy week

I’m back after a four-day respite – thanks to Anthony DiComo for minding the store while I jetted down to Florida and New Orleans for a quick getaway.

With the Super Bowl in the books, this upcoming week is chock full of baseball events in and around the tri-state area. If you’re interested in telling Joe Torre what you think about his Yankees past, there are opportunities – if you want to hear Brian Cashman talk about the Yankees future, there’s that too.

Also… a few guys from the new ear who are pretty good guys: Posada, Williams, O’Neil, Tino, aaannnnddd JETER haha. Not to mention Gerig, Berra, Rizzuto, Ford.
P.S. Who do you think will be retired in monument park next, and anybody know why they didn’t retire Whitey’s number?

Dodgers should do what they are beginning to do: sign Wolfe, Dunn and Hudson for the same price. I am completely blown away that no one has jumped on Manny yet, but I guess crazier things have happened.

Lets see, Babe Ruth, foul mouthed, insubordinate, lush, carouser/adulter..Mickey Mantle, often played drunk, late night carouser/Adulter, known ampethtamine popper…Andy Pettite, admitted Steriod user…These “Drama Queens” are what have made the Yankees great…None are choir boys…Manny is a saint compared to these guys…get over your personal, unsubstantiated feelings and stick to the facts…The Yankees can use Manny “Mr. Clutch” now ! Yanks can afford to sign Manny and keep Matusi.

Cano is the Yanks future, Hudson is not…Jeter’s time is about up at Short Stop…rather than assigning him to play outfield…keep him in the infield, place Jeter at 2nd base, which does not require covering the same range and arm stength and put Cano at SS…Cano has the range and arm to play short and Jeter can retire at 2nd base…You keep the same double play combo and who better than Jeter to school Cano in the intricacies of playing short stop…do not need another 35, 36year old outfielder…especially one that has played the infield his entire career

Nady is a good corner outfielder and a strong right hand hitter…I don’t see 29 years old as being old. The weak link in the outfield pool are Gardner (will not hit major league pitching) and Damon, injury prone, going on 36, no longer a threat to steal and has a terrible arm…Trade both. Swisher, Matsui, Cabrera and Nady will be adequate in the outfield. Since it has been stated several times here that we have enough hitting, then we can afford to bring Austin Jackson on board for centerfied, provided he has a good spring training.

Seeing Manny unsigned warms the cockles of my heart. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. We’re 10 days from Pitchers and Catchers. Boras as reportedly refused a 1-year offer. Doesn’t look like the Dodgers are going to either budge from their 2/45 offer and it may not even be on the table anymore. Even the Giants seem to be moving on. I wouldn’t be at ALL surprised to see him go all the way to May when there may be a team or teams who have discovered in the prior month that they are in need of his services. THEN someone makes him a Dodger-like offer, perhaps a 1/1 player option deal? And he comes on board and does his best 2008-redeux and then the circus starts up in late 2009 all over again…

I don’t see Hudson becoming a UI, I really think that he would be a good outfielder; however, I’d think they would have to move at least one of there current OF no including Matsui. The Yanks have a lot of faith in Cano, so I don’t see a trade happening, though he may move to the outfield.

Could Manny really end up like Bonds as Golf suggested. There is no evidence of drug use with Manny but there is strong signs that all clubs may band together and not sign Manny. Manny said he was awaiting an offer from the Yankees, who immediately signed Teixera. Golf is right.

There are a lot of very good points here, and I personally agree with a lot of them. But my conclusion from all this is there shouldn’t be a trade. Even in a normal market I would like the no trade option.

As things stand now, it looks like Swisher will start on the bench. Great. 9 guys aren’t going to stay healthy all year, we need backups and by my count Swisher backs up half of them by himself. If I had my way we would improve depth at catcher and middle infield, certainly not look to move what depth we do have.

Add that in this market, teams who would be desperate for OF/DH options are spolt for choice, I just don’t see how we would get anything enough value to make a move. If a team calls, we talk, but at our terms. Like when Cardinals wanted Cano, we said Wainwright. No deal, and that’s fine. Let’s not deal for the sake of dealing here either.

1. I believe Bryan Hoch was 1 person who mentioned Cabrera seems to have fallen out of favor with some.
2. They attempted to make the deal for Cameron. Cano read it was a done deal in DR.
3. That or let him DH once a week.

Thanks for the length information.
I disagree but understand your view.
To me, I’d rather keep Nady and trade Swisher or either of the other 2. However, that is my opinion and you arguments are very valid. To me, Swisher is an unknown and RF is a problem area for a decade or more. Nady has already proven his value and the Mets regret trading. Plus he’s only signed for 1 year. Swisher we would be stuck with for 3 years and he may amount a high priced bench player.

bpark, just chiming in on your comment: my vote is for Nady to be traded, for the following reasons.

A. Matsui — he’s my favorite Yankee, but injury prone, almost 35, and making $13 million this season. I just don’t think with the current economic environment and free agent deals out there that anyone would pick Sui up. Besides all that, he’ll do well as a DH and platoon left fielder….you give this guy at-bats and he’ll have a typical Sui year: .285, 20-25hrs, 100rbi’s.

B. Swisher — I’ve liked Swisher since his days playing for Oakland. I think he’s the most marketable of the bunch: he plays all three OF positions (with RF being his best), is serviceable at 1st base, a switch hitter with power from both sides of the plate, and he’s under a reasonable contract for the next 3 years (only 27 yrs old). Last year was an abhoration, he was playing out of position and hitting lead-off for the ChiSox. I think that if you throw him into the 6 hole playing for the Yankees, he’ll be his usual self: .250-.260, 25-30hrs. I really don’t think you can dispute the power figures since he hit 35hr’s 3 years ago, and he’s been healthy, so if he regains form then I think that he’s one heck of a pick up for the Yankees. On the other hand, he’s certainly worth a LOT on the trade market since he is so reasonably priced/young/etc… I think if the Yankees can nab one heck of a setup pitcher/future closer, then trading Swich with a good prospect might be worth it. The one downside to Swish: he’s replaceable defensively by a cheaper Melky, and offensively the Yanks already have enough to win. Plus, Posada may be adding to the 1st base depth chart (maybe on a part-time basis), so having Swish around is not a necessity.

C. Nady: I like Nady since he’s cheap this year and a pretty good player, but longer term I just don’t foresee him in pinstripes….he’s just not a STAR player — his stats last year were great, but truly his first very good year, and at age 29 that’s not the most comforting. I would prefer the Yanks have a star/superstar patrolling right field. Since this is in fact the case, I think Nady is the one getting traded this season. He’ll require an extension from whatever team we trade him to, and a starting job, so I expect him to go to a team like Giants or Nationals, who are both looking for affordable pop. On the bad side: I don’t think the X-man will fetch us much of a bounty, maybe a middle-tier relief pitcher, or promising prospect….I mean come on, he’s 29 and coming off of a good year, but too many years floundering with the Bucs, and hitting .270 with 20hrs and playing a power position like right field just doesn’t bode well for him playing longer-term in the Bronx.

D. Melky: I still think Melky carries a lot of upside and it would be foolish to trade this guy. He lost weight, added some muslce and speed, and changed his attitude this offseason. Offensively we don’t need too much from him, just a heck of a lot more consistency. He’s worth more internally at a cost of 500k/yr, then he is on the trading block. Besides, I don’t think the Yankees could really get much for him….how much is he truly worth? Anyone being designated to the minors really doesn’t help in terms of player market value. I think Melky is a Yankee this year, or atleast until he can prove to other teams he’s worth trading for.

Back in time

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